University of Southern California (USC) students protesting the war in Gaza left their camp without major incident on Sunday after being surrounded by police and threatened with arrest.
In Boston, the start of the school year at Northeastern University took place peacefully at Fenway Park.
Many people were closely following developments on both campuses.
Last month, police arrested more than 90 people during the dismantling of a pro-Palestinian encampment at USC, while Boston police arrested about 100 protesters at a similar encampment at Northeastern.
Dozens of Los Angeles Police officers arrived at USC around 4 a.m. Sunday morning to assist campus security officers. The university had warned protesters on social media and in person that they risked arrest.
Video showed some students packing up to leave the encampment, while officers formed lines to push others out of the site as it emptied. The university said no arrests have been reported.
USC President Carol Folt said it was time to draw the line because “the occupation was taking a dangerous turn” with areas of campus blocked off and people harassed.
“The operation took place peacefully,” she said. The campus opens, students return to prepare for exams and preparations for the summer return are in full swing. »
USC previously canceled its main graduation ceremony while allowing other activities to continue.
At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), management announced the creation of a new security manager position to oversee campus operations.
Last week, UCLA was criticized for its handling of protests, which culminated in a mob attack on a pro-Palestinian student encampment.
The Associated Press has recorded around 2,500 arrests on around fifty campuses since April 18.